NEW YORK — Gleyber Torres is one of the most polarizing figures in recent memory for the New York Yankees.

He’s had some remarkable highs, including a breakout 2019 season when he blasted 38 home runs and dominated the Baltimore Orioles to such an extent that play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne suggested Torres should be walked intentionally every time he stepped to the plate. Torres also proved crucial in stabilizing the leadoff spot for the Yankees in 2024, playing a key role in their World Series push.

But for every high, there have been significant lows. Torres was benched this year for a lack of hustle, struggled horrifically in a failed attempt at playing shortstop in 2021, and was often unreliable both as a defender and base runner throughout much of his Yankees tenure.

His 2019 performance sparked lofty expectations, with many projecting him as a future superstar. In early 2020, FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski even predicted that Torres would likely finish his career with multiple 40-home run seasons. That prophecy, however, hasn’t materialized. In fact, Torres has spent the past five seasons trying — and failing — to recapture the magic of 2019. He hasn’t come close.

And now Torres is a free agent for the first time as a major leaguer. It’s expected the Yankees will move on and find a new second baseman.

“Gleyber has been a really good major-league player, and one of the reasons we got as far as we did,” Cashman said. “I’m not going to dissect what he’s good at or what he’s not as good at. He’ll have a lot of conversations with teams who need a player like him. That could include us. Who knows?

“I’m not sure what the future holds, but I want to thank Gleyber for his time here without closing the door on a potential reunion.”

How do you follow up setting the AFL single-season stolen base record?

A three-hit performance, including this solo homer, was what the @Yankees’ Caleb Durbin opted for. pic.twitter.com/AvXgaGBPjU

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 12, 2024

Cashman’s comments thanking Torres while signaling the need for a second baseman are akin to Jeff Probst snuffing out a Survivor contestant’s torch and telling them, “The tribe has spoken.” It’s a polite but clear acknowledgment that Torres’ time in New York may be over.

Yankees fans have grown increasingly frustrated over the years, particularly with the team’s inconsistent fundamentals, and Torres has been a frequent target of their ire. In 2024, he was tied for the most outs at home plate and committed the most errors among all MLB second basemen.

When asked about the Yankees’ ongoing issues with fundamentals, Cashman admitted that part of the solution could involve acquiring players who are more suited to playing a cleaner, more disciplined brand of baseball.

That’s where Caleb Durbin enters the picture. Durbin is not listed among the top Yankees prospects by The Athletic’s Keith Law or on MLB Pipeline, but, internally, he’s considered one of the club’s most promising up-and-coming players.

Entering Wednesday, Durbin had a 1.006 OPS with five home runs in the Arizona Fall League. Perhaps most impressive is that he’s struck out only five times through 23 games. With Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Durbin slashed .287/.396/.471 across 375 plate appearances, including 10 homers and 29 stolen bases. He also drew 47 walks and struck out 37 times, putting his strikeout rate below 10 percent.

“I think he’s a stud, frankly,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Durbin. “Great bat-to-ball, elite ability on the bases as a base-stealer, good defender in the middle of the diamond at second base. He’s really started over the last year-plus to create some position flexibility. He’s played some short, he’s played some third. We introduced him to some outfield this year, all with the mind that this guy is going to be a big-league player. His bat-to-ball skills have been evident in the last few years.

“I think he’s going to play a big role for us this upcoming season.”

And that role could be the Yankees’ starting second baseman come Opening Day. Durbin was acquired by the Yankees from the Atlanta Braves in a trade for reliever Lucas Luetge, who pitched in 12 games for Atlanta and finished with a 7.24 ERA.

Caleb Durbin is in the @MLBazFallLeague record books with his 25th stolen base!🌵 pic.twitter.com/DsvCsh3cEm

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) November 12, 2024

The Yankees’ approach to their roster construction for next season could carry some risk, especially with the possibility of having Durbin, Jasson Domínguez (who could be the starting left fielder) and Ben Rice (a potential option at first base) all on the Opening Day roster. This could mean one-third of the lineup consists of unproven players, in addition to Anthony Volpe, whose OPS dipped in 2024 compared to his rookie season, and Austin Wells, entering his sophomore year.

This underscores why the Yankees’ offseason strategy can’t be limited to re-signing Juan Soto and filling roster spots with untested talent. The team needs to address more pressing needs, such as acquiring a reliable first baseman, like Christian Walker. However, with owner Hal Steinbrenner publicly acknowledging that this season’s payroll is unsustainable, it’s likely the Yankees will need to add affordable talent to fill roster gaps. Torres made $14.2 million this season. Replacing him with Durbin, who would earn the league minimum, would give Steinbrenner greater financial flexibility, especially if he decides to re-sign Soto to a massive contract.

Cashman mentioned Durbin twice, unprompted, at last week’s GM meetings, possibly signaling the club’s current direction at second base. Even before this past season, multiple high-ranking Yankees officials were already expressing confidence in Durbin’s potential. It’s looking increasingly likely that he could make his MLB debut in the coming year.

“I think he’s put himself in that conversation. Certainly always as a young player, you got to earn those opportunities,” Boone said. “We’ll see how the offseason unfolds. He’s definitely in the mix as a guy that’s definitely knocking on the door, especially having gone to Triple A now and had success.”

(Photo of Caleb Durbin: Norm Hall / MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Chris Kirschner is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Yankees. He previously covered the Atlanta Hawks from 2018-2022 for The Athletic. Chris was named Georgia’s Sportswriter of the Year in 2021 for his work covering the Hawks. Chris is a native of Bronx, NY. Follow Chris on Twitter @chriskirschner